Push-operator switch construction



Sept. 4, 1956 L. l., VERKUIL PUSH-OPERATOR SWITCH CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov 15I 1952 Sept. 4, 1956 VERKUIL. 2,76935 PUSH-OPERATOR SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV l5, 1952 C5 Sheets-Sheet 2 i5 416 am 19 f- Q J0 /NVE/VTOR 24 A T/EVE/V Sfep. 4, 1956 L. 1 VERKUIL 2,761,936

PUSH-OPERATOR svi-TCH CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV l5, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 e@ .1.9.66 brmd 61fl?" u] 62 if a Iz.: 45/36/6 65" \66 23 94:9. Q0. (f2/g5 m .122 62 21P- 61' 62 69 ...Y u I mil A Hl ml Il @QM-m; Ik i 422 @ff/@019, 4g@ V0 d 66w J4 6? 6 /56 n .25. 7/ 75 Q I Q l epd/'9 90 l 45a 50" /Urf 7?' 78 L H l www A TTR/VEY United States Patent PUsH-oPnPAron spuren CortsrnUcrIoN vLeo L. Verkuil, Norwalk, Conn., assigner to Edwards Company, inc., Norwfl Conn., a corporation of Nen7 York Application November 15, 1952, Serial N 320,717

18 Claims. {'Cl. 2043-159) This invention relates to manually operated electric switches, sometimes called pushes, in which switch ac- Yeasily and readily assembled. Another object is to provide a push switch of few parts, held in assembled relation by means that are easily manipulated. Another object is to provide a push switch of the above-mentioned nature in which the several parts, upon assembly, are successively interengaged or intertted as the sequence of assembly proceeds, thus to avoid use of a succession of separate fastening devices or machine tool operations to complete and hold the parts assembled. Another object is to carry out the last-mentioned object by constructing the several parts so that the manual operations of assembly are simple, easy and foolproof, thus `also to avoid risls'` of breakage or distortion of parts in course of assembly.

yAnother object is to provide a push switch of the abovementioned ktype which in its operation is electrically and mechanically eiiicent and, more particularly, to provide a push. switch in which electrical contact points or areas may be kept clean and effective by dependably achieved rubbing action in response to actuation of the push or operator. and in which also long-lasting opposing spring action on the operator may be dependably achieved.

Another object is to provide a push switch of the abovementioned nature in which parts may be readily formed or constructed individually, as by molding, die-casting, or the like, and in a manner to facilitate assembly and mechanical and electrical coactions. Another object is to provide a push switch in which the push or operator is depressible by a pivoting action and it and its support are constructed for ease of assembly and, when, assembled, to provide a substantial range, within limits, of bodily motion when depressed to insure switch contact actuation. A

Another object is to provide a push switch of the above-mentioned nature adapted for simplicity and facility of installation, both mechanically and electrically. Another object is in genera-1 to provide improved push switch constructions and installations; other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplied in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several embodiments of the invention are shown by way of illustration and in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the severa-l views, y

Figure 1 is a plan View of a push switch construction adapted for surface mounting, as upon or against a wall surface;

Figure 2 is a front elevation, as seen from the bottom of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a bottom view as seen along the line l3 5 of Figure 2, showing certain of the operating parts;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal central sectional view as seen along the line 4 4 of Figure 1 and of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view like that of Figure 1 but with the operating parts removed;

Figures 6 and 7 are transverse sectional views taken respectively along the lines 5 6 and 7 7 of Figure 5;.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view as seen along the line 8--8 of Figure 5;

Figures 9 and 10 are respectively a top elevation and a side elevation of the manual operator or push;V

Figure 1l is a transverse sectional View of the manual operator as seen along the line 11-11 of Figures 9 and l0;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a contact and assembly spring;

Figures 13 and 14 are a plan view and front elevation of a modified form;

Figure l5 is a bottom plan view of the casing of Figures 13 and 14;

Figures 16, 17 and 18 are sectional views along th lines 1.6-16, 17-17, and 18-18 of Figure 15;

Figure 19 is a top plan View, Figure 20 is a'V front elevation, Figure 23 is a bottom plan view, and Figures 21 and 22 are respective end elevations, of an insulating bridge plate, and v Figure 24 is a bottom view as seen along the line 24--24 of Figurev 14; Figure 25 is a plan view of a mounting device for securing the modified form of switch construction to a wall surface or the like, and

Figure 26 is a front elevation of a modified form vof construction, with certain parts broken away to show, along the line 26-26 of Figure 13, how the structure may be installed on the face of a wall or the like.

vReferring iirst to Figures 1, 2 and 3,'1 provide a main support generally indicated by the reference character Sl which, where the switch construction is to be secured against the face of a wall or the like, is preferably constructed in the general form of an elongated housing which can be open on its bottom side, illustratively as by providing its top face or wall 20 with opposed side walls 21-22 and opposed end Walls .2S-24, the continuous edges of these walls (see Figure 3) falling in the same plane, and being thereby adapted to rest atwise against a wal-l surface to which the structure S1 may be ultimately secured in any suitable manner. Illustratively, at the respective ends of the housing-like support S1 I may provide countersunk screw holes 25, 26 thatextend downwardly (see Figure 4) through tapered internal bosses 27, 28 respectively, the end faces of the latter terminating in the above-mentioned plane of the wall edges; these bosses are of advantage where the housing is molded out of moldable and curable plastic compounds for the bosses take up compression strains caused by the securing screws and protect the top and side walls of the housing against strain or distortion. The tapered or frusta-conical external shape of the bosses (Figure 8) and preferably also a slight outward canting of the inside faces of the four Walls facilitate the molding operation and the Withdrawal of the separable mold parts, one of which has a coniiguration to conform the under side of the parts of the structure S1 as seen from below in Figure 8 and the other of which is shaped to coact therewith to conform the upper sides thereof as viewed from above in Figure 8.

As is better shown in Figures l and 5, thetop` wall 20 has therein an elongated opening 30 illustratively rectangular in shape, being of a length (see Figures 4 and 8) to fall short at its two ends of the screw-receiving bosses operator 31 projects, the latter being of a width relative to the width'of the opening 30 to provide ease of up-andj down motion as viewed in Figures 2 and 4, the operator 31 being substantially of inverted U Vshape in cross section, as appears better from Figures 9, l and 11, having av substantially at topV wall 32 with depending parallel side walls 33 34, which can coactwith the opposed lon-` gitudinal edges of the opening 39 (Figures 1 and 6) in guiding the operatorjl inits1up anddown movement relative tothe top casing wall 20.

At its right hand end the operator 31 is provided with laterally projecting aligned trunnions or pivot studs 35, 36, preferably integrally formed with and projecting laterally from the depending side walls 33, 34 respectively. These trunnions 35, 36 are provided with half-bearings 37,38 respectively (Figure 3, 4, and 8) formed in internally thickened portions 213, 22;a of the side wallsVZl, 22,

being in the form of a downwardly open slot whose bottom end is' arcuate throughout about 180, preferably of a radius somewhat in excess of the radii of the trunnions or pivot studs 35, 36 themselves, so that the trunnions can be.Y entered into their half-bearings from the open under side of the support structure S1. The outer sidesof these slot-like half-bearings 37, 38 are closed off by the side Vwalls 21, 22 respectively, as is indicated in Figure 5 and asfis better shown in Figure 3, the respective outer ends of the trunnions being neatly receivable between the inside 'operator 31 as viewed in Figures l, 2 and 4 can project Vinto or through the top wall aperture 30, and the parts may illustratively be so'proportioned that the right-hand end of the top wall 32 of operator 31 projects only slightly v 27, 28, and being of a width (see Figure 5) materially Y above the housing top wall 20 and it may terminate snugly adjacentY the right-hand. edge of the aperture as seen in Figures 1 and 4, and if desired, it may be given a suitable degree of curvature (see Figures 4 and 10) so as to more or less merge the operator top wall 32 into the top wall 20 of the housing as the operator y31 partakes of pivoting movement, as is later described, about the axis of the trunnions and half-bearings. At its left-hand end the operator 31 Vis provided with an end wall 40, which is integral with top wall 32 and with the parallel side walls j and 10) to provide a tongue 41 which, with the trunnions at the other end seated in the bearings and thus holding the operator 31 against lengthwise shift, extends underneath the housing top wall 20 just to the right of the screw-receiving boss 27 (see Figure 4) so that it can and does limit the extent to which the left hand of operator 31`projects above the top wall 20, coacting also with the top wall 20 as a stop means to limit upward or clockwise pivotingof operator 31 about the trunnion and bearing axis when urged and biased in clockwise direction by spring means about to be described.

The operator 31 is made of a suitable non-conductive material and is preferably made out of a moldable and curable plastic, being thus unitary or one-piece throughout. u Integrally molded with it is a small stud-like pro- 4l jection 42 (Figures 4, 9, 10 and 11) directed downwardly from the under side of the operator top wall 32 and positioned along the longitudinalcenter line of the latter and appropriately spaced from the opposite ends of thel operator 31. Projection 42 coacts with the top wall 32 and the side walls 33,34 of the operator to locate and assemble the operator 31relative to the long arm 43 of aA U-shaped spring 44 (see Figure l2 and also Figure 4). Spring 44 is shaped up out of ilat stock of good conductivity and good spring action or resiliency, such as Phosphor bronze, and in width its arm 43 is neatly received between the operator side walls 33, 34,-projection.42 entering a hole 46 in arm 43 so that the latter or an appropriate portion thereof can rest atwise against the under face of the operator top wall 32.l In Figure 4, the portion of the arm 43 to the right of the projection 42 is neatly nested between the sidewalls 33, 34 and against the under face of top wall 32, the curvature of which, particularly at its right-hand end as above described, can aid in extending this interitting or seating to includera portion of the arcuate bend in the spring 44 that joins the long'arm 43 to the short arm 45, which is' substantially parallel "thereto when the parts are assembled (see Figure 4). The hole 46 in long arm 43 is somewhat elongated along the axis of arm 43, permitting slight longitudinal shift of the spring arm 43 relative to the projection 42. The portion 47 of the long spring arm 43 that extends to the left of the projection 42 (Figure 4) is conformed or curved downwardly as viewed in Figures 4 and 12, so that its free end is materially spaced downwardly from the under face of the operator top wall 32.

Provision is made for anchoring the short arm 45 of spring 44 and for making an electrical connection thereto, and also for supporting and positioning a contact and terminal connector with which the resilient or yieldable free end 47 of the long spring arm 43 may coactand for these purposes I provide a plate-like bridge structure, generally indicated by the reference charactery 4S which may be integrally formed with the housing or support structure S1, particularly where the latter ismade or molded or cast out of a non-conductive material, such as any suitable moldable and curable plastic compound, and in the form shown in Figures 1-8 this bridge-like structure 48 is molded integrally and extends horizontally between the side walls 21,V 2,2, preferably at the thickened portions 21a, 22a thereof, as is better indicated in Figures 3 and 5. In general cross-sectional conformation, as along the lines 6 6 and 7-7 of Figure 5, the structure S1 is somewhat H-shaped throughout the longitudinal extent of the bridge structure 48, as better appears from the vsectional views in Figures 6 and 7, thus providing a conformation that facilitates molding by separable mold parts operable from `both above and below as viewed in Figures 6 and 7 and also Figure 8.

The under face of the cross bridge l48, as betterappears in Figure 8, is substantially at except for a downwardly projecting cross rib 50 (Figures 3, 4, 6 and 8) and except for a parallel cross part 51 later described. Cross ri-b 50, which also coacts with the short spring arm 45 as is later described, serves as a physical and insulating barrier or separator in that the cross bridge 48, to the left of the rib 50, is provided with a centrally positioned hole 52 which is threaded to receive a screw 53, under the head of which an electrical conductor may be clamped and the inner free end of which projects upwardly through the bridge 48 and underlies the springy free end 47 of the spring 44 for coaction therewith in making and break ing a circuit as the operator 31. is manually depressed and released. e

The cross part 51 may be said to be of inverted U shape, as is better shown in Figure 5, in that its upper face or edge is spaced downwardly from the plane of the under face of the bridge part 48 (Figures 7 and 8) so that it coacts with the under face of the bridge part 48 to form a lslot 54 of a width (Figures 7 and 3) and of a vertical dimension (Figures 4 and 7 substantially matching the width 'and'thicknessv of the short springy arm 45 so that the free end of the latter maybe slid toward, the left (in Figures 5 and 8) alongV the under face of the bridge part 48 t'o enter it Lintoa'nd pass it through this slot S4 (Figure 7) until itfabuts against the right-hand side of the barrier rib 50; when so haltedby the barrier rib 50 a hole S5 (Figure l2) in thesh'ort spring arm 45 is brought into registry with a threaded hole 56 in the bridge part 48, whereupon a screw 57 is threaded into the threaded hole to hold the spring 44 against retrograde or disassembling movement toward the right; under the head of screw 57 an electrical conductor is clamped, thus also clamping the spring armv45 against the under face of the bridge part 48` and dependably holding the short spring arm 45 for good coaction of the long spring arm 43 with the manual-,operator 31 which the U-shaped spring 44 normally biases and holds in assembled relation in that the right end of operator 31, whether it does or does not project beyond the top Wall of the housing, is biased upwardly, as viewed in Figure 4, to hold the trunnions 35, 36 seated in their respective half-bearings 37, 38 as above described, and in that the left-hand end of the operator 31 is biased and projected upwardly beyond the housingttop wall 20 to the extent permitted by the engagement of the tongue 41 (Figure 4) with the stop ledge formed by the top wall 20, as earlier above described. I t l The depressible left end portion of operator 31 is thus maintained in external prominence, vand it is to that portion that anyvperson desiring to actuate the switch would direct a iinger of the hand for depressing the operator. When the latter is depressed the springy free end 47 of thelong spring arm 43 is brought into rubbing coaction with the inner contact end of binding screw 53 (see Figure -1 4), thus ease of actuation and increased rubbing action are facilitated by the longitudinal movement of spring arm 43 relative to the operator 31 permitted by the elongated hole 45 in the spring to maintain clean and bright the respective engageable contact surfaces or points. vThese rubbing actions take place in reverse direction upon release of the operator. Projecting springy contact part 47 is protected against being over-stressed toward the top wall 32 of operator 31 in that its yieldability under vcontact pressure islimited by the limited downward movement of opera-f tor 31 whose side Walls 33, 34 contact the bridge part 48 as is later described, preventing spring part 47 from being jammed against top wall 32.

yThe straight-line distance between the right end of the bridge part 4S and the right end edge of top wall aperture 39 (see Figure 4,.ar1d particularly Figure 8) is substantial in relation to the vertical dimensions of the operator 32 as the latter is viewed in Figures l0 and 11, and is suicient, for purposes of assembly` ofl the parts, to pmmit the free passage upwardly therethrough of the lefthand end of the operator 32, with the tongue 41 being the leading edge as this lmovement of assembly is proceeded with. Preferably, before starting this movement of assembly, the long arm 43 of spring 44 is laid in position against the under side of operator 31 as above described, with the projection 42 of the operator and the hole 45 of the long spring arm 43 interengage'd so that the long arm 43 accompanies the operator 31 as the latter is manually guided upwardly and toward the left in Figure 8 through the just mentioned spacing or opening until the trunnions 3,6 reach the opposed ledges 2lb. 22D (Figure 5) of the thickened side Walls 21a, 22a just to the right of the half-bearings 37, 38 respectively (Figures 5 and 8), and with the trunnions just about en@ gaging the just mentioned ledges the short spring arm 45 is pressed against the at under face of the bridge part 4S just to the right of the inverted U-shaped cross piece 51' and the left end of the operator 31 is depressed to enter the tongue 41 past the left-hand edge of the top wall aperture 36', whereupon the sub-assembly of operalor 31Y and'spring 44 is slid to the left to enter the short spring arm 45 into the slot 54 and, into abuttingrelation to the barrier cross rib 5U, that movement br'irliIlg 4the tongue 41 underneath the stop ledge formed by the'top wall 29 just to the right of the screw-receiving bossf27 (Figure 4). The screw 57' is passed through the spring hole 55 and threaded into the cross bridge hole 56 and the assembly is complete. y t

In order to facilitate the molding of the U-sliaped cross part S1 and the formation of the above described Vspringreceiving slot 54,V in the same molding operation in which the housing structure S1 is formed,lthe upper side of the cross part 51 is juxtaposed to a transverse slot 58 (Figures 'Z and 8) in the cross bridge part 48; the slot 58 is formed by that downwardly projecting portion Aof the upper mold part which conforms the upper fa'ceor faces of the inverted U-shaped cross piece 51, the upper cross face of the latter being spaced downwardly (see Figure 7,)

rom the under face of the bridge part 43 by an amount equal to the thickness of the spring 44, and in that manner an under half-seat for the short spring arm 45 is formed by the upper mold part against which thevunder side of the short spring arm 45 may rest, while companion halfseats, such as the several portions of the under face of the bridge part to the right and to the left of the cross part 51, are formed by the lower mold part against which the upper side of the short spring arm 45 may rest, these several half-seats', together with the side parts of the inverted U-shaped cross piece 51 forming the bearing slot into which the short spring arm 4S is entered is above described. To the right of the barrier cross rib 50 (see Figure 8) the half-seat formed by the under face of the bridge part 48' is curved or beveled off, as is better indicated in FigureS, so as to guide the free end of the short spring armv 4S onto the under face of the bridge part 48 as it emerges tothe left of the cross part 51.

The construction can be embodied in compact and relatively diminutive form and several other features may he provided to coact toward achieving improved cornpactness; for example, the shell or housing structure S1 may be made of lesser vertical height at its left-hand end, asis better shown in Figures 2, 4 and 8, by tapering the side walls 21, 22 as shown in Figure 2, and by slanting the top wall 2t) downwardly to the left (Figures 2, 4 and 8), thus lowering the stop ledge at the left end of the top wall aperture 3l) (Figure 4) so that the tongue 41 on the pivoted operator 31, when in engagement with the stop ledge, holds the top face of the' operator 31 substantially horizontal, giving the eect (see Figure 2) `of tapered-oit side walls 33, 34 of the operator 31 as the latter merges and disappears into the top wall opening 30, at which its right end' is of greater height than at its left end. These relationships of the parts bring the left end of operator 31, being the endV remote from the pivoting trunnions 35, 36, normally (see Figures 2 and 4) into major prominence as it projects upwardly from the downwardly inclined top face 26, for application thereto of iinger pressure rather than at the right-hand end, where the operator virtually merges into the slanting top face and does not project so much. As is better shown in Figures 5 and 6, the plate-like bridge part 4S is provided with spaced parallel grooves 61, 62 which areof progressively greater depth in a direction from the right to the left in Figure 5, and they are positioned to underlie the side walls 33, 34 respectively of the operator 3,1; accordingly, when the operator 31 is pivoted counterclockwise in Figures 2` and 4 in response to manual depression', the operator side walls 33, 34 can enter' these grooves .61, 62 respectively, thus providing a greater length of actuating movement of the operator without having to increase over-all height of the structure.

In Figures 1324 I have illustratively shown` a modiied embodiment of certain features ofmy inventionnadapted to carry out the latter, where the casing vstirucliure such as the structure S1 above described is made of m'e'tlas by die-casting, or as by forging out of brass, or the like.

`AIn' Figures 13-17 a housing i 'be so constructed is generally indicated by a reference character S2, and as in the form above described it has s a top wall 2l) with opposed side walls 21, 22, and opposed 7 Y i or casing structure that may `end walls V23, 24, being also generally elongated in Yshape and having a central substantially rectangular aperture 30 in its top wall 20 for receiving therein and for coaction with the top wall 20 of the manual operator '31 ,above described. It has internally thickened portions 21a, 223' for its respective side walls 21, 22, conformed adjacent their right-hand ends (Figures l5, 16) to prov1d`e open half-bearings 37, 38 respectively f or receiving the trunnions 35, 36 of the manual operator 31. 'Ifo the right' of the downwardly open'half-bearings 37,l 38,V

these Vthickened wall portions 21a, 22a have ledges 2lb,

-22b respectively, substantially like those above described i in connection with Figures and 8, and to the left Vof Athese half-bearings these thickened side wall portions 21a, 22@ are conformed to provide downwardly facing opposed and parallel flat ledges 21C, 22 respectively (see Figures 15, 17), and in the form disclosed the faces of these ledges fall in the same plane, a plane that is parallel to but spaced upwardly from (Figures 16, 17) the plane Vof theedges of the opposed sideand end walls of ithe opposed side and end walls of the casing structure S2. These parallel spaced ledges 21C, 22 form opposed 1 seats Afor a non-conductive plate-like bridging part shown in Figures 19-23 and generally indicated by the reference character 48a inasmuch asV it is, in conliguration and interrelationship of Vits Vseveralparts, the same as the bridging Apart 48 above described in connection with Figures l-l2, excepting that it is separately molded out of any suitable non-conductive plastic composition and vexcepting Vthat it is provided with opposite and parallel v side edges 63, 64, which are spaced and dimensionedto Vbe just snugly received Ybetween the vertical internal side walls 21e, 22e (Figures 15 and 17) which form'the outer or lateral boundaries for the ledges 21, 22 respectively against which the plate-like bridge 48'L rests, with kits parallel grooves 61, 62, of increasing depth toward the left in Figures 20, 24, facing upwardly, and with the transverse barrier rib 50 and the transverse part 51 Vwhich coacts in forming the slot 54 facing downwardly.

The bridging plate 48a may be secured in position Vin any suitable manner. For example and' as shown in Figures -l7, the opposed bridge-supporting ledges 21, 22c may be provided with holes 65, and the opposed longitudinal side portions of the bridging member 48 may be provided with slots 66 (Figures 19, 23) which open into the longitudinal side edges and which are'dimensionally located so that they can respectively register with the holes 65 (Figure l5) in the supporting ledges. Upon being brought into such registry'the bridging member 48a may be secured in position as by headed pins that pass through the slots 66 and are press-fitted into the holes 65, or as by screws, -which may be of the type that have a large pitch and are constructed to cut their own threads in the walls Vof the holes 65, such securing means being indicated inV Figure 24 by the reference character 67. Desirably, to locate bridge memberV Vplate 48a are respectively receivable. and preferably the relationshipsof other parts are such that the bridging part 48a can be seated against the ledges 2179. 22c and vsecured in place in only one position relation relative to ,the casing structure S2 and Vits various parts.v Y

Thus, referring toFigures 19 and 23,Y the four corners of the bridging member 48V are indicated by the reference characters a, b, c, d; the longitudinal spacing from the edge a-b ofthe transverse center line of theslots 66 ,66 adjacent thereto isthe same: as the longitudinal spacing vof thealigned vertical shoulders 21f,f'22ff(Figure 15) from their respectively Vadjacent holes 65 in theV two ledges, whereas thespacing from the edge d-,c (Figures 19, 23)

ofthe transverse center line of therespectivelyadjacent slots 66,-'66 is greater than these just described spacings. Accordingly, were the bridging plate 48a to be rested against the ledgesV 21, 22c with the corners'c-d at the shoulders 21f,`22f respectively, theY slots 66 would be 'completely out of registry with the holes 65 in the ledges, Y

'and thesecuring devices could not be'inserted;,the bridging plate48El must, therefore, be turnedlend vkforfend. Moreover, and as. is better shown in Figures 20423, the parallel cross rib parts 50, v51fvvhich project fromthe under face of the bridge plate extendcompletely across and from edge vto'edge, and therefore'they preclude at- Wise seating ofthe bridge member 48.@,against`the ledges L 21C, 22c so that the bridging part cannot be assembled to the ledges in upside-down relation and Ycan be seated thereagainst only with the cross rib parts'50, 51 facing toward the open bottom end of the casing structure S2. Accordingly, seating and securing cannot be effected unless cor- Vner ais at the shoulder 21,f Vand corner .'b is at the shoulder 21..y These coactions to facilitate proper orientation of the plate-like vbridge member 48a in course of assembly maybe aided 'by making the longitudinal side portions of the plate member 4,1'3a of lesser thickness where they overlie the ledges 210,22", as is better shown in'Figures 2l, 22,

, where these side portions are indicated at 68 and 69; it is in these thinner side parts V68, 69 that the slots 66 are provided,` leaving a thicker or upwardlyV projecting central portion 70 whose parallel'vertical sides` are justsnugly receivable Vwithin and betweenthe parallel vertical faces` of the longitudinal sides of theV aperture 30 in the'ptop Wall of the casing S2.

With the plate-like member 48a of insulating material locatedand secured in position relative to the trunnion half-bearings 37, 38 and relative to the casing andropening 30, assembly of the operator 31 and contact spring.

44 and conductor screws can proceed in the manner above described in connection with Figures l-1V2; againythe-V i opening or spacing through the resultant sub-assembly of casing S2 and bridge plate 48a is greater at the righthand end as viewed in Figure 24 than it is at the left-hand end of the bridge 48a and,:accordingly, the tongued end of the operator 31, with the long spring arm 434 set into the under side of the operator, is enteredinto and through this larger passageway and is guided toward the left-hand end of the top wall opening 30 and, Withthe trunnions 35,-

36 resting upon the ledges 21l,'22b respectively, the

tongued end is depressed downwardly into the left endrof the aperturep30 and operator and spring are then shifted to the left to enter the-short spring'arm 45 through the slot 54 at the under side of the plate bridge 48a and to enter the trunnions 35, 36 into their respective half-bearings 37, 3S, all as above described, whereupon the screws 53, 57 (Figure 24) are `threaded into their respective threaded holes 52, 56 in the bridge 48a, both screws serving to bind or clamp the two circuit conductors, with screw 53 serving as the lixed contract for coaction with the movable contact spring part 47V andwith screw 57 serving to holdtheshort spring arrn 45 against downward `displacement as viewed in Figure 4.

With assembly completed the device may now be secured to any suitable support, usually ,against the surface of a wall or door frame or the like, preferably by means of a mounting member, generally indicated by the refer-` ence character 71 and better shown in Figures 25 and 26, the member 71 being constructed for coaction with certain features'embodied in the housing or casing $2.5 As appears better from Figures 15-18, the ledges 2lb, 22h, formed bythickening the side walls 21, 22 respectively are extended toward the right, in Figures and 16, toward the casing end Wall 24, being made to terminate, by thickened side wall portions Eig, 22g, shaped as is better shown in Figure 16, in transversely aligned sockets 73, 74, the thickened side wall portions 21g, 22g, presenting edge faces 21h, 22h, which are parallel and are inclined upwardly and toward the end wall 24 (see Figure 16), forming equal acute angles with the horizontal ledges 2lb, 22h. These two acute angles form the above-mentioned sockets 73, 74, and as is better shown in Figure 24, these sockets are spaced a substantial distance from the pivoted end of the manual operator 31 and hence are well spaced away from the U-bend in the spring 445.

The mounting member 71 (Figures 25 and 26) can be in the form of a simple sheet metal stamping of a width to be neatly receivable between the longitudinal side walls 21, 22 of the casing S2, and at its opposite ends it is bent upwardly as at 75, 76, and adjacent the bent ends 75, 76 the member 71 is provided with holes 77, "3 by which, as shown in Figure 26, the member 'il may be secured to a wall by the use of screws 7 9; intermediate of holes 77, 78 the flat central base portion of the member 7l is provided with an aperture 80, through which the insulated circuit conductors (not shown) may be brought, from a hole in the wall, to the front (upper, in Figure 26) side of the mounting member 7i, and connected to the binding screws 53, 57 which, as better appears in Figure 24, are exposed at the under side of the bridging plate 4de of the assembled switch structure.

The latter is then positioned over the mounting member 71, which is snugly received between the opposed side walls 21, 22, with one of the bent-up end parts, such as part 75, Figure 26, entered into the opposed aligned sockets 73, 74, thus bringing the other end part 76 ad jacent and juxtaposed to the end wall 23.

The end parts 75, 76 are bent up at the same angle, an angle which, in relation to the inclination of the edge faces 21h, 22*h of the sockets 73, 74, gives the outer faces of the bent parts 75, 76 a smaller acute angle with the horizontal as seen in Figure 26 than the acute angle formed with the horizontal by these inclined edge faces. As a result the bent part that enters the sockets 73, 74 can coact with these inclined edge faces 21h, 22h with a camming action, and the other part that is juxtaposed to the end wall 23 makes an appropriate acute angle with the latter so that it can coact, by a camniing action, with the inner end of a screw 81 (Figure 26) carried in a threaded hole 82 in the end wall 23.

With the mounting member 7l secured to the face of a wall, threading the screw 31 inwardly (Figure 2-5) and against the bent part 76 locks the casing S2 with its switching parts to the member 7l, and at the right-hand end a component of the force exerted by the screw 3l against the inclined face of part 76 draws the right-hand end of casing S2 tightly against the wall surface, while at the other bent end part 75 the clamping force of the screw 31 is resolved into components by the camming action between the inclined edge faces 2lb, 22h, and one of these components acts to draw the left-hand end of casing S2 tightly against the wall surface. 4

The cutout or opening 80 in the member 71 (Figures and 26) is of a width and length materially greater than the rectangular area (see Figure 24) Within which fall the heads of the binding screws 53, 57, thus precluding contact or engagement ofthe screws and the bared conductor ends which they secure, with the mounting member 71, and also providing ample clearance space underneath the conductive parts of the switch structure and thus coacting to permit making the housing or casing S2 of lesser height. Moreover, the mounting member 71 isV preferably symmetrically constructed about its longitudinal and transverse axes as seen in Figure 25, thus facilitating its installation and assembly thereto of the switch structure.

The coaction and functioning in use of the various switching parts of the structure of-Figures 13-24'wil1 l@ now be clear in View of the description thereofin connection with the construction of Figures 1-8. In both forms very few parts comprise the completed switch structure and in each form assembly is speedy, simple and foolproof. Moreover, electrical safety and insulat-ion is dependably achieved. In the illustrative embodiment of Figures 1-8 the casing or housing and manual operator, when made of non-conductive material as by molding out of la suitable plastic, coact in use to dependably maintain the live conductive parts against possible contact by the Enger of a person operating the push switch; the side walls 33, 34 of the operator 31 maintain closure of the aperture 30 at its sides during actuation of the operator 31, and particularly also when it is in its normal upwardly projected position. Dependable protection is also achieved in the illustrative form of Figures 13-24, where the construction makes it possible to achieve the advantages of using metal in making the casing structure S2, for in this form the insulating bridge 4S in coaction with the conformation of the operator 31 also dependably maintain the live conductive parts against possible engagement or contact with the metal casing S2. In both forms the cross parts 50, 5=1 at the under side of the bridging part, while coacting in achieving ease and dependability of mounting and support for the contact spring 44, also serve as insulating barriers or separators between the conductor-connector screws 53, 57. While features of advantage may be achieved by slanting the top wall of the casing asin the casing Sl of Figures 1 and 2, many advantages of my invention may be achieved or retained where the top wall 2i) is substantially parallel to the plane of the rear or bottom edges of the side and end walls of the cas- -ing as in the form shown in Figures 14 and 16.

'It will thus be seen that there has been provided in this invention push switches in which the several objects above noted, together with many thoroughly practical advantages, are successfully achieved.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinabove set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

l1. A push switch construction comprising a housing having a top wall provided with an elongated opening and having spaced side walls with a plate-like bridge part of insulating material extending between said side walls and below said opening, means providing aligned spaced half-bearings interiorly of the housing and adjacent one end of said top wall opening, said half-bearings being open toward the bottom of said housing and said bridge part having two threaded holes substantially underneath said opening and aligned lengthwise of the latter with binding screws threaded into said holes from the under side of said bridge part, a U-shaped flat spring, one arm of which is adapted to rest against the under side of said bridge part .and has a hole therein through which one of said binding screws passes and the other arm of which is adapted to extend along said elongated top wall opening and substantially overlie the top side of said bridge part for coaction with the other of said binding screws, with the U-shaped bend. that joins said spring arms extending into the space adjacent to and between said downwardly open half-bearing and with its axis of bend parallel to the axis of said half-bearings and located in the general region of the axis of'said halfbearings, and an elongated manual push operator of insulating material received in said opening and overlying said bridge part, said .operator having two laterally spaced depending side walls between which extends said overlying a-rm of said U-shaped spring, the under, side'v of said operator, between said depending walls thereof, being engaged by said overlying arm of saidl U-shaped-spring whereby said spring arm biases said operator upwardly having at that end thereof adjacent said U-shaped bend laterally. projecting and coaxially lalignedl trunnions which are seated in said downwardly open half-bearings and held therein by the upward bias ot" saidU-shaped bend and ofV said'overlying spring armj/wherebyrsaid operator is pivotally YdepressibleV about the4 axis of said half-bearings and concurrently bends said Urlshaped bend about said .parallel axis to bring said spring arrn into vengagement with said other binding screw, said bridge part having laterally spaced grooves inits top side and respectivelyunderlying said spaced depend-ing side walls*V yo-f'the operator for entry of the latter `side walls into said spaced grooves upon depression of the operatorl and 'said operator having means coacting to limit itsV upward Vswing about said axis of said half-bearings under the bias of said spring.

2. A push switch construction comprising ahousing having a top wall provided with an elongated opening `and having spaced side Walls with Va plate-like bridge part yof insulating material extending between said side walls and below said opening, means providing aligned spaced half-bearings interiorly of the housing and adjacent one end ot said top wall opening, said half-bearings being open toward the bottom of said housing, and said bridge part having two threaded 'holes substantially underneath said opening and aligned lengthwise of the latter with binding screws threaded into said holes from the under side of said bridge part, a U-shaped flat springfoney arm 'of which isadapted to rest against the underside of said bridge part and has a hole therein through'which one of said binding screws passes and the other arm of which is adapted to extend along said elongated top wall opening and substantially overlie the top sideof said bridge part-for coaction with the other of said binding screws,

ywith the U-shaped bend that joins said spring arms extending into the space adjacent to and between said downwardly open half-bearings and with itsl axis bend parallel to the axis of said half-bearings and located-in the general regionV of the axis of'said halt-bearings, and an elongated manual push operator of insulating materialV received in said opening and overlying saidN bridge part with its under side engaged by `said overlying arm 'of said U-shaped spring where said spring arm biases said operator upwardly and outwardly of said `top wall opening, said operator having at that-end thereof 'adjacent' said U-shaped bend laterally projecting and coaxially aligned trunnions which are seated in said downwardly open half-bearings and held therein by the upward bias of said U-shaped bend and of said overlying spring arm whereby said operator is pivotally depressible about theaxis of said half-bearings and concurrently bends said U-shaped bend about said parallel axis to bring said spring arm into engagement with said other binding screw, said operator having means coacting to limit its upward swing about said axis of said half-bearings under the, bias of said spring, there being a spacing between the .end ofl the bridge part and the end of said top wall opening adjacent to which are said downwardly open half-bearings. to provide a passageway that has a cross-section that is bounded, at its sides, by said spaced side walls and, at top and bottom, substantially by the plane of said top/wall and by said vbridge part, said elongated push operator having a crossj section, transverselyof its length, that YVf alls within the boundaries of the aforesaid cross-section of said passageway and, upon endwise longitudinal movement, said elongated push operator is entered through said passage, from the under side of said housing and with thertrunnioned end thereof trailing,.into said ,top wall opening andvinto overlying relation to said bridge part for entry of the trunnions into said half-bearings. A

3. A push switch construction as claimed in claim 2v I in which the underside of :said push operator is. conformedy to provide an elongated'fseat for receiving said Aoverlying spring arm thereagainst with said ITI-shaped bend adjacent said trunnions whereby said operator may with said trunnions and said U-shaped'bend trailing and thereby bring the other spring arm into position against against the under side of said bridge part for the passage therethrough and into the threaded hole of the bridge par of the'binding screw. Y Y Y Y 4. A push switch construction as claimed in" claim `3 in which the spring arm seat at therunder side of said operator is provided by an under face of said operator and two laterally spaced'downwardly extending side walls of the operator between which said overlying spring arm is received and longitudinally aligned for conjoint entry as aforesaid. l l Y 5. A push switch construction as claimed in claim 4 in which said bridge part has laterally spaced grooves in its top side and respectively underlying said spaced depending side walls of the operator. Y

6. A push switch construction comprising a housing having a top wall provided with an elongated opening and having spaced Vside walls with aY plate-like bridge part of insulating material extending between said side walls and below said opening, means providing aligned spaced half-bearings interiorly of the housing and adjacent one end of said top wall opening, said half-bearings being open toward the bottom of said `housinggand said bridge part having two threaded holes substantially underneath said opening and aligned lengthwise of the latter with binding screws threaded into said holes from the under side of said bridge part, a VU-shaped flat spring, one arm ofY which is adapted to rest against the under side Vof said bridge part and has a vhole therein through which one with the U-shaped bend that joins said spring arms extending into the space adjacent to and between said downwardly open half-bearings and with its axis bend parallel to the axis of said half-bearings and located in the general region of the axis of said half-bearings, and an elongated manual push operator of insulating material received in said opening and overlying said bridge part with its under side engaged by said overlying arm of said U-y shaped spnng where said spring arm biases said operator upwardly and outwardly of said-top wall opening, said operator having at that end thereof adjacent said U- shaped bend laterally projecting and coaxially aligned trunnions which are seated in said downwardly open half-bearings and held therein by the upward bias of said U-shaped bend and of saidoverlying springY arm whereby said operator is pivotally depressible about the axis of said half-bearings and concurrently bends said U-shaped bend about said parallel axis vto bring said spring arm into. engagement with said other binding screw, said operator Y having means coacting to limit its upward swing about said axis of said half-bearings under `the bias of said spring, said bridge part being provided, at its under side, with two spaced insulating barrierribsV extending transversely between said two bindingV screws, the barrier rib Ythat is adjacent the binding screw that passes through the one arm of said springhaving aslot-like recess underneath it for' receiving therethrough the free end of that spring arm that rests againstjthe underside of said bridge Y part, the barrier rib that is adjacent the other of said binding screws serving as a stop Vfor, said free end of said spring arm. Y 1 f 7. A push nswitch constructioncomprising ak housing having a top wall provided with an elongated opening, and having spaced side walls withY aplate-likebridge part of insulating material extending between said side walls and below said opening, means providingpalignedspaced halfbearings interiorly of the housing and adjacent one end of said top wall opening, saidfhalt-bearings being open 13 Y toward the bottom of said housing, and said bridge part having two threaded holes substantially underneath said opening and aligned lengthwise of the latter with binding screws threaded into said holes from the under side of said bridge part, a U-shaped ilat spring, one arm of which is adapted to rest against the under side or" said bridge part and has a hole therein through which one of said binding screws passes and the other arm of which is adapted to extend along said elongated top wall opening and substantially overlie the top side of said bridge part for coaction with the other of said binding screws, with the U-shaped bend that joins said spring arms extending into the space adjacent to and between said downwardly open half-bearings and with its axis bend parallel to the axis of said half-bearings and located in the generai region of the axis of said half-bearings, and an elongated manual push operator of insulating material received in said opening and overlying said bridge part with its under side engaged by said overlying arm of said U-shaped spring 'where said spring arm biases said operator upwardly and outwardly of said top wall opening, said operator having at that end thereof adjacent said U-shaped bend laterally projecting and coaxially aligned trunnions which are seated in said downwardly open half-bearings and held therein by the upward bias of said U-shaped bend and of said overlying spring arm whereby said operator is pivotally depressible about the axis of said half-bearings and concurrently bends said U-shaped bend about said parallel axis to bring said spring arm into engagement with said other binding screw, said operator having means coacting to limit its upward swing about said axis of said halfbearings under the bias of said spring, in which said housing and said bridge part and the means providing said downwardly open half-bearings being integral and molded in one piece out of moldable and curable non-conductive plastic material.

8. A push switch construction comprising a housing having a top wall provided with an elongated opening and having spaced side walls with a plate-like bridge part of insulating material extending between said side walls, and below said opening, means providing aligned spaced halfbearings interiorly of the housing and adjacent one end of said top wall opening, said half-bearings being open toward the bottom of said housing, and said bridge part having two threaded holes substantially underneath said opening and aligned lengthwise of the latter with binding screws threaded into said holes from the under side of said bridge part, a U-shaped flat spring, one arm of which is adapted to rest against the under side of said bridge part and has a hole therein through which one of said binding screws passes and the other arm of which is adapted to extend along said elongated top wall opening and substantially overlie the top side of said bridge part for coaction with the other of said binding screws, with the U-shaped bend that joins said spring arms extending into the space adjacent to and between said downwardly open half-bearings and with its axis bend parallel to the axis of said half-bearings and located in the general region of the axis of said half-bearings, and an elongated manual push operator of insulating material received in said opening and overlying said bridge part with its under side engaged by said overlying arm of said U-shaped spring where said spring arm biases said operator upwardly and outwardly of said top wall opening, said operator having at that end thereof adjacent said U-shaped bend laterally projecting and coaxially aligned trunnions which are seated in said downwardly open halfbearings and held therein by the upward bias of said U- shaped bend and of said overlying spring arm whereby said operator is pivotally depressible about the axis of said half-bearings and concurrently bends said U-shaped bend about said parallel axis to bring said spring arm into engagement with said other binding screw, said operator having means coacting to limit its upward swing about said axis of said half-bearings under the bias of said 14 spring, said housing is interiorly provided with means forming a seat for said insulating bridge part for positioning it in bridging relation to the housing and said walls, with means securing said bridge part in position,'

said means forming the seat for said insulating bridge part comprising juxtaposed downwardly facing ledges integrally formed interiorly of the side walls of the housing, the means forming said half-bearings comprising end wise extensions of said ledges with downwardly open arcuate recesses therein to provide said half-bearings, said spring arm seat means of said bridge part comprising a transversely extending projecting barrier of greater length than the spacing between said side walls whereby to prevent assembly of said bridge part to said ledges in upside-down relation.

9. A push switch construction comprising a top wall having an opening therein for accommodating at least part of a manual push operator and having spaced side walls with a plate-like bridge part extending between the side walls and substantially below said opening, said bridge part being spaced downwardly at one end thereof from the top wall adjacent the opening to provide a substantial passageway therebetween, saidV passageway at said one end of said bridge part having a cross-section bounded, at its sides, by said spaced side walls and, at top and bottom, substantially by the plane of said top wall and by said downwardly spaced bridge part, said bridge part having a conductor-connector-contact means with the contact part thereof exposed at the top side of the bridge part, a U-shaped hat spring one arm of which is adapted to rest against the under side of said bridge part and the other arm of which extends throughsaid passageway into overlying relation to the top side of said bridge part for coaction with said contact part, an elongated manual push operator having a portion adapted to project upwardly through said opening and transversely projecting means adapted to underlie the top wall adjacent said opening, said elongated pushA operator being enterable by endwise movement through said passageway in that it has a cross-section, transversely of its length', that falls within the boundaries Vof the aforesaid cross-section of said passageway and, upon such endwise movement, brought into position over said bridge part and over said second-mentioned spring arm which biases said push operator in a direction outwardly of said opening to an extent limited by engagement of its transversely projecting means with the under side of said top wall, and means for securing said first-mentioned spring arm to said bridge part and for making electrical connection thereto.

l0. A push switch construction as claimed in claim 9 in which said push operator and said second-mentioned spring arm are provided with means for holding them together with said spring arm against the under side of said push operator whereby said operator and said spring arm are together entered, through said passageway, into position overlying said bridge part and thereby bring said rst-mentioned spring arm into position against the under side of said bridge part.

ll. A push switch construction as claimed in claim 1U in which said holding means comprises a downward projecting part at the under side of said push operator and a hole in the second-mentioned spring arm for receiving said downward projecting part.

12. A push switch construction as claimed in claim l() in which said bridge part is provided, at the under side thereof, with recess means that is open in a direction generally toward said passageway for receiving and seating therein the end of said mst-mentioned spring arm in re sponse to movement thereof resulting from conjoint movement of said push operator and said other spring arm into said passageway.

13. A push switch construction as claimed in claim 9 in which said bridge part is of molded insulating rnaterial and has, at its under side, a cross rib integrally formed therewith, with a hole molded from the top side Y of said bridge partwith a portion of the hole overlying and extending into the rib and another portion at that side of the rib that faces generally toward said passageway, thereby to provide a recess for receiving the end of said first-mentioned spring arm.

14. A pushswitch construction as claimed in claim 9 in which said ybridge part and said top wall and spaced side Walls are of insulating material and are molded in one piece, said bridge part having, at its underside, a crossvrib integrally formed therewith and extending transversely below said top wall, said bridge part having adjacent one end a conductor-connector-contact means with the contact part thereof exposed at-th-e top side of the bridge part, there being'a space between said Vtop wall and the other end of said bridge part, a manual push operator of insulating material projecting through said top wall opening, a AU-shap'ed dat spring one arm of which is entered throughsaid'space andoverliesrthe top side of the bridge part and also saidV contact part and engages the under side of said push operator and the other arm of which extends to the under side of the bridge part with the U- shaped bend in the spring extending around the other end of the bridge part, said bridge part having, on its under side and intermediate its ends, transversely extendingk Yintegrally formed barrier rib Vmeans with said` conductorconnector means to one side of said barrier means and said second-mentioned spring'ann to the otherside thereof, and a conductor-bindingY screw extendingthrough a 16 z in which said barrier means andthe end of said lastmentioned springV arm have coacting :engaging portions that block rotary displacement of -s'aid U.shape'd spring about 'theaxis of said binding'screw.k Y

17. A push switch construction asclaimed in claimi15 in which said barrier means is'rece'ss'ed substantially along the plane of the `under side of thebridge part forV receiving the end of said'last-mentioned spring armupon movement of assemblyV of saidV U-shape'd spring in a direction to take over said other end of said bridge part and to bring the hole in said spring arm into registry with the threadedhole' in the bridge part thatrreceive's said binding screw. t v t 18. A push switch construction comprising athousing having aV topwall with an opening ltherein and havingan t insulating support substantially underlying and spaced downwardly from said top Wall, a manual .push operator of insulating material inthe space abovei said insulating support and projecting upwardly from said-.top wall opening, said housing and said Ypush operatorhaving coacting Vmeans whichguide saidrpush operatorzfor movement in directions inwardly and outwardly of said Atop wall opening, and circuitmaking-and-breaking means coacting between said insulating support Vand said push Voperator* and comprising a ilat conductive element having Van `end porn tion resting iatwise against favface ofrsa'id insulating support, said insulating support'having Ya portionprojecting from said face thereof with ahole extending `from ,the

opposite face thereof and into said projecting portion to t form a recess aligned with said first mentioned face'and having said flat end portion of saidv conductive element enter therein.-

l References cited in the fue f this patentk fSmith n Feb. 26, 1952 

